Process for inserting concealed slide fastener in cloth article



Feb. 28, 1961 w. T.. LEONARD ETAL PROCESS FOR INSERTING CONCEALED SLIDE FASTENER IN CLOTH ARTICLE Filed June 20} 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS WILLIAM T- LEONARD KENNETH F. DIEHM M H. W

ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1961 w. T, LEONARD EI'AL 2,972,751

Y PROCESS FOR INSERTING CONCEALED SLIDE FASTENER IN CLOTH ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1958 0 Fig. 4

Fig 5 INVENTORS WILLIAM T. LEONARD KENNETH F. DIEHM ATTORNEY PROCESS FOR INSERTING CONCEALED SLIDE FASTENER 1N CLOTH ARTICLE William T. Leonard, Reading, and Kenneth F. Diehm, Temple, Pa., assignors to Irving Constant, New York,

Filed June 20, 1958, Ser. No. 743,259

Claims. (Cl. 2-265) The present invention is directed to a process for inserting concealed slide fasteners in cloth articles, and more particularly to a process for inserting a concealed slide fastener in such manner that it is substantially concealed from view and closely simulates a seam when its elements engage each other, namely when the slide fastener is closed and the slide fastener elements of one of the tapes engage the slide fastener elements of the other of the tapes.

This invention has as an object the provision of a process for inserting a concealed slide fastener in a cloth article.

This invention has as another object a process for inserting a concealed slide fastener in a cloth article in which the line of stitching joining the slide fastener element carrying tapes to the cloth article is as close as possible to the slide fastener elements.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is a sectional view revealing the manner in which the line of stitching joining the fastener element carrying tapes to the cloth article is effected.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view revealing the first stage in the process of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view revealing -a later stage in the process of the present invention, namely a stage in which both of the fastener element carrying tapes are stitched to the cloth article.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view revealing a still later stage in the process of the present invention, namely a stage in which the slider is advanced from its retreated disposition adjacent the backstop clip to a disposition spaced an appreciable distance from the backstop clip.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view revealing the appearance of the finished cloth article of the present invention having the concealed slide fastener inserted therein.

Figure 6 is a view taken from the front of the cloth article shown in Figure 5 revealing the seam-like appearance presented by the slide fastener of the present invention when the same is in closed disposition.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

In Figure 1 there is shown a sectional view revealing the manner in which the line of stitching joining the fastener element carrying tapes to the cloth article is effected. It is to be understood that the method shown in Figure 1, while presently preferred, is but one of a plurality of methods known to the art.

In the method shown in Figure 1 the fastener element carrying tape 10 which may be the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,738,560, issued March 20,- 1956, to Jacques Hug entitled Concealed Slide Fas- 2,972,751 Patented Feb. as, 1961 "ice teners, is secured to the cloth article designated general- .ly as 12 through the use of the sewing machine 14, a

fragmentary portion of which is shown in Figure 1. The sewing machine 14 comprises the bed 16 which includes a raised portion 18 and a lowered portion 20 which are arranged in step-wise relationship in respect to each other. The raised portion 18 includes the needle hole 22 within which is received the needle 24. The needle 24 is preferably a needle whose eye 26 is, disposed parallel to the line which the cloth article 12 assumes when it is advanced in respect to the sewing machine 14.

The presser foot 28 is provided with a gage bar 30. The foot portion of the presser foot 28 is disposed above the raised portion 18 of the bed 16, and the gage bar 30 portion of the presser foot 28, which is spaced from the foot portion of the presser foot, is disposed above the lowered portion 20 of the bed 16. The needle guide hole 32 of presser foot 28 comprises a notch on the outside edge of the presser foot 28 within which the needle 24 is received.

The fastener element carrying tape 10 comprises the slide fastener elements 34 which are carried along the welted edge of the tape 10. It is to be noted that the elements 34 depend from the raised portion 18, such raised portion being spacedabove the lowered portion 20 by a height greater than the extent of dependence of the elements 34.

The construction shown in Figure 1 permits a line of stitching to be placed as close as desired against the elements 34, the front to rear disposition of the needle eye 26 enabling the line of stitching to be inserted without any rubbing action of the needle 24 against the elements 34 tearing or breaking the thread 36 which is used to effect the line of stitching.

The method for the insertion of the slide fastener 38 which comprises the pair of fastener element carrying tapes 10 and 40 is shown particularly in Figures 2 through 5.

The cloth article 12, which may comprise a garment, blanket, tent, or other article made from cloth is shown particularly in Figures 6 and 7. In the illustrated embodiment the cloth article includes a gap which is occupied by the slide fastener 38. Such gap is disposed intermediate the collinear seam lines 42 and 44. The cloth article 12 comprises a pair of cloth members 46 and 48 which are joined together by the'aforesaid seam lines 42 and 44.

In the first stage of the process shown in Figure 2 the 'cloth members 46 and 48 are shown, such cloth members 46 and 48 each being bent along adjacent fold lines. Thus, the cloth member 46 comprises the relatively small inside flap 50 and the relatively large outside flap 52. The cloth member 48 comprises the rela- The slide fastener elements 34 of the tapes 10 and 40 may be pivoted to an upright disposition as shown particularly in Figure 1 enabling a line of stitching 60 to be placed as close as desired to the slide fastener elements 34.

In the first stage of the process the slider 62 of the slide fastener 38 is withdrawn closely adjacent the back stop 58 as shown in Figure 2. The line of stitching 60 is placed closely adjacent the upright elements 34, such line of stitching 60 extending from the uppermost end 64 of tape 10 to the slider 62. The top stop 66 on tape 10 is also pivotable to an upright position, so,

3 that the line of stitching 60 may be deposited without veering from the top stop 66.

When the line of stitching 60 has been completed, the stage of the process shown in Figure 3 is undertaken, namely the joinder of the tape 40 by the line of stitching 68 to the inside flap 54 of cloth member 48. It will be seen that the elements 34 of tape 10 are disposed over the line of stitching 60 in the normal disposition which such elements 34 assume when the elements of the tapes 1t) and 40 are not engaged together.

The line of stitching 68 is effected with the cloth article 12 in reversed disposition from the disposition shown in Figure 2. Thus, in the disposition shown in Figure 3 the back stop 58 and slider 62 are adjacent the first stitch of the line of stitching 68 whereas in Figure 2 the slider 62 and back stop 58 are adjacent the last stitch f the line of stitching 60, such lines of stitching in each instance being effected in the direction indicated by the arrow to the right of Figures 2 and 3. The line of stitching 68 is effected in the identical manner heretofore set forth for the line of stitching 60. Thus, the elements 34 of the tape 40 are pivoted to a raised position and the line of stitching 68 is inserted closely adjacent such elements 34. Similarly, the top stop 70 of tape 40 is pivoted to a raised position and the line of stitching 68 is deposited closely adjacent such top stop 70. The line of stitching 68 extends from closely adjacent the slider 62 to the uppermost end 64 of the slide fastener 38.

The next stage in the process of the present invention is shown in Figure 4. In this stage the slider 62 is advanced from its disposition adjacent the back stop 58 to a position spaced an appreciable distance from the back stop 58, in which position the slider 62 is carried on elements which are adjacent to the lines of stitching 60 and 68. The slider 62 should be moved to a position intermediate the bottommost stitches of the lines of stitching 69 and 68 and the top stops 66 and 70 of the tapes 10 and 40. The distance intermediate the bottommost stitches of the lines of stitching 60 and 68 and the slider 62 may vary, but such distance should be sufficiently great so as to include at least several engaged fastener elements 34. As shown in Figure 4, the lines of stitching 6G and 68 which join the tapes 10 and 40 to the flaps t) and 54 are disposed beneath the engaged fastener elements 34, namely the engaged fastener elements intermediate the slider 62 and the bottom stop 58. The next step of the process of the present inven tion is the cutting of the slide fastener 38 along the line X-X. The line XX is a transverse line adjacent the bottommost stitches of the lines of stitching '60 and 68. The cutting of the tapes 1G and 40 along the line XX can be readily accomplished with a shear type hand tool.

The tapes and 46 are held together by the engaged elements intermediate the line XX and the slider 62 after the aforesaid bottommost portion of the slide fastener 38 has been cut off.

The seam line 42 can be extended to reach to the line XX after the cutting of the slide fastener 38 along the line XX. Alternatively, the seam line 42 may originally have extended to the line XX.

The bottom clip 72 is then mounted onto the bottommost engaged fastener elements 34 adjacent the line XX. The bottom clip 72 is formed of thin pliable bent sheet metal. After pressure is applied to the bottom clip 72 it will be permanently anchored onto the tapes 10 and 40. While it is preferable to apply the bottom clip 72 to the tapes It) and 40 after the tapes 10 and 40 have been out along the line XX, the process of the present invention also includes the embodiment in which the bottom clip 72 is applied to the tapes 10 and 40 on the fastener elements adjacent the line XX, such as the fastener elements adjacent the line X--X on the back stop side of such line XX, and then cutting away the portion of the tapes below the bottom clip 72 along a line parallel to andspaced from line XX. This last mentioned procedure has the advantage of saving the fastener elements onto which the bottom clip 72 is mounted. However, with many operators this last-mentioned procedure is not as rapid as the preferred procedure described above in which the tapes 10 and 40 are first out along the line X-X and then the bottom clip 72 is applied.

The bottommost free edge of the bottom clip 72 may be inwardly beveled, so that a curved surface is presented by the bottommost portion of the bottom clip 72 to the user.

The appearance of a cloth article 12 having the slide fastener 38 sewn therein is shown in Figures 5 and 6. It will be seen from these figures that when the slide fastener 38 is in its closed disposition it closely simulates a seam, with this effect being heightened by the collinear disposition of the slide fastener 38 in respect to the seam lines 42 and 44. As shown in Figure 6 the only portion of the slide fastener 38 that is presented to the view of the observer when the slide fastener 38 is closed is the upper part of the slider and its tab. Such upper part of the slider and its tab may be so formed as to be relatively inconspicuous.

As seen particularly in Figure 7, the lines of stitching 60 and 68 are hidden from the observer by the outside flaps 52 and 56.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A method for mounting a slide fastener upon a cloth article which comprises applying a first line of stitching to join one fastener element carrying tape of a slide fastener comprising a pair of mating fastener element carrying tapes joined together by a bottom stop to one flap of the cloth article while the slider of said slide fastener is adjacent the bottom stop of said slide fastener so that the fastener elements carried by the tapes are disengaged, extending said first line of stitching adjacent to said slider, applying a second line of stitching to join the other fastener element carrying tape of said slide fastener to another flap of said cloth articlewhile the slider of said slide fastener is adjacent to the bottom stop of said slide fastener, extending said second line of stitching adjacent to said slider, moving the slider a spaced distance from the ends of said lines of stitching which are proximate the bottom stop so that said slider is carried upon the stitcher portions of said tapes, cutting off the bottommost portion of said slide fastener while the elements of the tapes intermediate the slider and the bottom stop are matingly engaged, and applying a bottom clip to engaged slide fastener elements at the bottom end of the slide fastener.

2. A method for mounting a slide fastener in accordance with claim 1 in which the bottommost portion of the slide fastener is cut off below the bottom ends of the first and second lines of stitching along a line perpendicularly transverse to the longitudinal axis of the slide fastener.

3. A method for mounting a slide fastener in accordance with claim 1 in which the bottom clip is applied to the bottommost engaged slide fastener elements after the bottommost portion of the slide fastener has been cut off.

4. A method for mounting a slide fastener in accordance with claim 1 in which the slide fastener elements carried by both of the tapes are pivotable between a normal disposition assumed when the elements are matingly engaged in which normal disposition a relatively large portion of each of the elements overlies its tape and an erect disposition in which erect disposition a relatively small portion of each of the elements overlies its tape, and both the first and the second lines of stitching are applied while the elements of the tape which is undergoing stitching are in erect disposition, with said lines of stitching being so closely adjacent their associated elements that such associated elements overlie said lines of stitching when the elements of the tapes are engaged with each other.

5. A method for mounting a slide fastener in accordance with claim 1 including applying the first and second lines of stitching as parallel rectilinear lines of stitching.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Friedman Apr. 27, 1937 Markin Apr. 25, 1939 Levy Feb. 18, 1941 Yafie Dec. 30, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 29, 1956 

